In the 2023 NCAA Tournament, UConn emerged victorious and crowned themselves national champions. However, the team suffered a significant setback when five of their top eight scorers decided to leave. Despite this loss, the core of Donovan Clingan, Alex Karaban and Tristen Newton, along with a highly-rated recruiting class, positioned UConn as legitimate contenders for another championship run.
To prove this point, the Huskies dominated Indiana in their first game of the season with a final score of 77-57. Indiana, known as a blue blood school in college basketball, was easily swept by UConn. Tristen Newton led the team with 23 points and 11 rebounds in the game, impressing UConn coach Dan Hurley. Although freshman Stephon Castle sustained a minor knee injury during the game, UConn still secured a 20-point victory. Before his injury, Castle averaged an impressive 14.5 points and 6.5 rebounds in just 21.5 minutes on the court.
UConn’s dominance over Indiana was notable given their No. 7 ranking in the updated Monday Morning CBS Sports Top 25 and No. 1 daily college rankings. Next up for UConn is a matchup against Texas in the Empire Classic title game on Monday night. With their impressive play so far this season and their strong roster, UConn is well-positioned to make another run at the national championship title in 2023-2024 season